Ball-and-socket joint



Feb. 5 1924e B. LIEBCWITZ BALL AND SOCKET JOINT Filed Nov; .1..4 1921 ,Am w

BENJAMN LIEBNI 1 Z ATTORNEY.

In Lrmowrrz, or Naw Boonstra, naw realm BALLAND-SOCKET JOINT.

.Applioation filed November 14, 1.921. Serial No. ld?.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN Llano- Wrrz, a citizenlof theUnited States, and a resident of. the city of New Rochelle, in the county of Wrestchestel'-v and State of New York, have invented'certain new and use.

ful Improvements in Ball-and-Socket Joints," of which the following is a speciication.

rlhis invention relates to ball and. socket joints such as are specially applicable to steering gear connections on automobiles.

The objects of the invention are to rovide a ball and socket joint which sha1 be eectively covered so as to exclude dust and dirt and so as to retain lubricant; to provide a jointl of this kind which shall be simple, efficient and inexpensive `for quantity production manufacture; and to provide a joint of`this kind without increasing the. overhang distancefrom the ball to the ball pin anchorage. Y l f4 l accomplish these objects by means of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation, Fi 2 is a bottom view, the lower half of which is in section on the line H-II of Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 is a section on the bent line lll-1H of Fig. 2.

Referring tothe drawings: 1 is a lever terminating in a hub 2, such as, for example, the steering arm of an automobile. This arm is to be connected by the ball and socket joint to a tie-rod or drag-link 3. 4

is a forging which is weldedor riveted or otherwise fastened to the link 3 and which terminates in a square-shaped, odset head 5. Head 5 forms the casing member and is bored through, at right angles to the axis of link 3 and receives an annular ballv socket 6.

A cup shaped pressing or casting 7, having a square iiange 8, is fastened by bolts 9 ,to the underface of the casing member 5. This underface is nearly coplanar with the ball center. The inner spherical surface of the art 7 is formed as an annular socket adapte to receive the ball 10 .in co-opera'- 4V10 has a shank 11 which tion with the annular ball socket 6. Ball asses through the openin in socket 7 an is received 1n and secure yfastened to the hub 2,1" as for example, by the `taper fit and the nut 12 shown. The to of the head' 5 is closed by the plate 13, w ich is also held down by bore, an annu the bolts 9. 14 indicates any convenient means for introducing lubricant.

The ball-socket 7- has an outer spherical surface which co-operates with the cork or :felt gasket 15 andthe sleeve 16 in forming a dust cover. The joint between the sleeve 16 and ball pin shank 11 is also closed by a cork or felt gasket 17 as shown, the gasket 17 and gasket 15 being compressed and acting as springs to'keep the joints tight.

The spring 18 serves to keep the ball sockets firmly against the ball, to prevent rattle andshake, and to take up wear.

It will be seen that the parts 6 and 7 cooperate to forma spherical socket for the ball 10, and that the resulting balljoint is eectively protected from dust andgrit by means of the sleeve 16 and its gaskets 17 and 15, which at the same time serve-to retain lubricant. Also, it will be seen that the parts are simple, few in number and inexpensive for quantity production. Also, the distance from the ball center to the hub 2 is reduced to a minimum.

My inventionl is not to be construed as limited to the specific embodiment shown.

l claim:

1. A ball and socket joint comprising a casing having a bore, a socket piece fitting in the bore, a second socket piece secured to the exterior of the casi and having an external spherical surface, a ball inclosed by the combined socket pieces and having a shank projecting through an opening in the second socket piece, and a sleevev encompassing the `opening in the` second socket piece', and a gasketed sleeve encompassing the external spherical surface of said second socket piece. 3. A ball and socket joint comprsln a casing having an open-ended cylindrical ar socket piece slidably iitting in the bore, a cover plate on the casing, an expanding spring in the bore between the cover plate and the socket piece, a second socket piece having an external spherical surface and fastened to the exterior of the easing by bolts passing through the casing and cover plate, a ball inclosed by the combined socket pieces and having a shank projecting through an opening in the second socket piece, and a gasketed sleeve encompassing the external spherical surface of said second socket piece.

4. ln a ball joint for connecting a link and a lever, a casing member connected to'said link and having av bore approximately perpendicular to the axis of the link, an annular ball-socket littin in said bore, a ball-pin extending into sa1d bore, a second ball-socket externally fastened to the casing member., said second ball-socket having an external spherical surface and an opening for the Lanai/aa shank of the ball-pin, and a sleeve eo-operatn ing with said external spherical surface in enclosing the joint.

5. lln a ball joint for connecting a link and. a lever, a casing member fastened to said link and having abore approximately perpendicular to the axis of said link, an annular ball-socket fitting in said bore, a ball-pin extending into said bore, a flanged ball socket bolted to said casing member, said flanged socket having an external spherical suriace substantially concentric with its internal spherical surface and having an opening for the shank of the ball-pin, and a sleeve izo-operating with said external spl1er.

ical surface in enclosing the joint.

BENJAMN LEEBUVWTZ. 

